Holiday Spirit
by Ally Lerentis
Summary: Laura realizes that Carmilla would be all alone on Christmas break so she thinks of the perfect present to give her.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Gifts for Vampires

Chapter Text

**October 1**

Laura stares at her calendar. It's already October. Only three more months until Christmas, only three more months until she sees her dad again. She feels herself grinning at the thought of being reunited with her dad.

"You're smiling by yourself again. I think you have officially lost it."

Carmilla's voice makes Laura jump. She turns her chair and looks at Carmilla who is currently drinking blood out of Laura's tardis mug.

"Its October." Laura says happily. She's too happy to be even mad at Carmilla for drinking blood out of her mug.

Carmilla's brow arches, still drinking for the mug.

Laura sighs. "It's only two months before Christmas!" She says excitedly, hands waving up in the air.

Carmilla puts down the mug and licks her blood stained lips, making Laura stare longer than necessary.

"Oh" she says in a bored voice and lies down on her bed.

Laura looks at her roommate confusingly. How could she not be excited about Christmas? Everyone loves Christmas!

"Aren't you excited?" She asks, curiosity lacing her voice.

Carmilla shrugs, her expression indifferent. "I've been celebrating that commercialized holiday for 300 years. After a while it gets old." She says dully while picking her nails.

"Oh" Laura mutters, "I just thought that you know-"

"Thought what?" Carmilla cuts her off, her voice flat. "That every year, me, mommy dearest and my siblings would gather around a tree and drink hot blood from mugs while exchanging happy stories?"

Laura stared at her, unsure of what to say. Carmilla stood up and scoffed. "It doesn't work like that cutie. I spend Christmas like how I spend any other day of the year. Alone." Carmilla grabs her bag and heads for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Laura half-shouted, standing up from her chair. Carmilla turned around, her face bleak.

"I've a seminar." She drawled. "Try not to turn our room into a winter wonderland while I'm gone. Mhm?" Carmilla then stormed out of the room, leaving Laura staring at the open door.

"Well, okay, that was, uhm." Laura muttered to herself as she sat back down. She opened word and tried to work on her lit paper, but all she could think about was Carmilla spending Christmas alone here in their room, while Laura is back home. Carmilla was a bitch but nobody deserves to be alone on Christmas.

Maybe if I got her something it would make her feel less lonely? Laura stood up again and begins scanning the room. Okay what should I give a 300 yr. old vampire who probably has everything?

Clothes? Ugh, she probably has a closet as big as my house filled with ball gowns and bell bottoms.

A book? But she doesn't even read anything else other than that red book.

Laura was starting to get agitated, why is it so hard to pick a simple gift for her roommate? Maybe I should just get her a GC from Victoria's Secret. Laura blushes at the thought of Carmilla in lingerie. She shakes her head, focus Hollis!

Then her eyes land on a brochure that Carmilla left lying around. Laura picks it up and reads it, a smile slowly starting to form on her face. She sits back on her chair as she formulates her plan. Well this is a much better option than lingerie, Laura thinks as she opens a new tab and types in the local job listings site.

* * *

**October 10**

Laura stumbles into their room at 11pm. It's only the fifth day of her work but she feels like she's been working for ten years. Laura managed to get a part time job at a small diner that seems to never run out of customers. The diner's frequent visitors are the Zeta bros and Summer Society girls which is perfect because it means that Carmilla would never visit the place.

The only people who know about her plan are LaFontaine, Perry, and Danny. When they first heard about it they all shook their heads in disbelief followed by a chorus of "Laura you can't be serious." But they still came around the diner and bought Laura food and encouragements.

Laura blindly walks inside, her eyes half-closed, the exhaustion of todays work finally catching up on her. Her legs hit her bed and she topples on top of her sheets, groaning to herself.

"You look like you've been ran over by a bulldozer. And yet, this is the best state I've seen you in." A smug voice says, startling Laura.

"Gee thanks." Laura mumbles, rolling her eyes. She reaches around for her pillow but was met with nothing. She sighs loudly "My pillow? Really?"

Carmilla grins. "Well it's comfy, if you want it I'm open for sharing."

Laura feels herself blush and she turns towards the wall. "Stupid, vampire, roommate." She mutters "You're lucky I li-" Laura quickly clamps a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. Being tired has definitely disabled her ability to filter her thoughts.

Laura hears sheets shuffling. "I'm lucky you what?" Carmilla asks quietly, Laura was facing the wall but she could feel Carmilla's eyes on her.

"Nothing" Laura quickly says, shaking her head. "I'm just really tired you know. Danny took me to this Summer Society thing and it's just really tiring and you know.." She rambles on.

Carmilla doesn't say anything, the air around them thick. Laura holds her breathe and counts up to ten until she feels something hit her feet. She sits up and turns on her lamp, the light illuminating the whole room. She rubs her eyes and looks at her feet, it was her yellow pillow. Carmilla gave her back her pillow, well that's new.

"Thanks-" She turned towards Carmilla but was met with an empty bed.

Ugh. Broody, stupid, moody, vampire. Laura grabs the pillow and burrows her face on it, inhaling the vampires scent, making her fall into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**November 29**

Laura counts her money, she almost has enough to buy Carmilla's present. She puts the money in her wallet and grabs her jacket. If she hurries she can make it to the bank just before it closes. On her way out she almost bumps into Carmilla who was coming back from a seminar.

"Woah, what's the rush?"

"Erm." I am not going to the bank to deposit the money for your present. "I was just gonna meet with Danny and LaFontaine."

Laura sees Carmilla's features harden. "Well don't let me get in the way." She says sarcastically, moving out of the way. Laura shakes her head and leaves, stupid, vampire.

When Laura gets back all her chocolates are gone.

* * *

**December 10**

"When do you leave?" Carmilla asks suddenly.

Laura turns her chair around and looks at Carmilla. "Uhm, the 21st."

Carmilla nods and continues reading.

Laura turns back to her computer, she enters her and Carmilla's name and hits confirm. Instantly spending the money she has been saving for two months.

Worth it, she thinks to herself while stealing a glance at Carmilla.

* * *

**December 12**

'Dear dad'

Ugh, Dear dad? Really? What is this, an application letter?

Laura erases the line and stares at her blank email. She's been putting off telling her dad that she won't be coming home this break. It's not that she's scared, she just doesn't know how to tell her dad. She and Carmilla aren't even dating to begin with, so she really doesn't have a good reason for why she's doing this.

Laura poises her fingers at the keyboard and tries again.

'Dad, you know how when you like someone you would do anything to see that person happy?..'

Her dad replies two hours later and Laura makes LaFontaine read the email.

LaFontaine gives her a grin and a thumbs up.

* * *

**December 21**

Carmilla walks towards their dorm, the air around her cold. She couldn't feel the effects of the weather but she still liked to dress for it. And besides, she was wearing Laura's scarf, which made her feel a little better about Laura's impending departure.

She didn't understand. She spent every year alone on Christmas, but why was this year any different. Carmilla laughs to herself, of course she knows the answer why. As much as she hated to admit it, she's going to miss Laura.

Three weeks without Laura.

Three weeks without someone nagging her. Clean your side, wash the dishes, scrape your hair for gods sakes Carmilla you are 300 years old stop acting like a ten year old. Do not make me get my spatula.

The thought of three weeks without Laura's voice is more deafening than Carmilla could ever imagine.

Carmilla opens the door of their room and is greeted by the sight of Laura sleeping, making Carmilla smile a little. Her smile drops when she spots Laura's bags by the foot of her bed, another reminder that in a few hours she would be alone again. Carmilla sits at her bed and observes Laura. The constant rise and fall of her chest, her face relaxed and void of any of the stress she's been in the past few weeks.

Carmilla closes her eyes and listens; she hears the steady drumming of Laura's heartbeat, instantly soothing her nerves. She just listens for a while, letting the sound calm her down. She would never admit it, but Laura's heartbeat is her favorite sound. She could listen to it all day, on repeat, and never get tired of it. Carmilla opens her eyes and sighs, she turns around and sees the yellow pillow on her bed. On top of the pillow was an envelope with her name written on it in a familiar handwriting.

"What the?" she mutters, reaching for the envelope. She tears it open, and pulls out two pieces of paper. Carmilla scans the paper and spots the word New York and JFK on it. Her eyes widen with the realization of what it is and she's pretty sure she heard herself gasp.

She spots another paper peeking out of the envelope and quickly grabs it. There was only one sentence written in the neat handwriting.

I've always wanted to see Study of a Young Woman in person.

* * *

Laura felt her bed shaking. Ugh not another earthquake. Laura grumbles and buries her head into her pillow more.

"C'mon cutie, wake up. Your snoring is disturbing the whole building."

Laura opens one eye and sees Carmilla hovering over her. She's.. She's smiling? And she looks excited? Did I miss something? Laura looks at her, disbelief lacing her face. Then she sees the plane tickets on Carmilla's hand and she remembers.

Laura matches Carmilla's grin.

"Did you like it?" She asks shyly, tilting her head.

Carmilla nods enthusiastically, her bangs covering her face, making Laura smile wider.

"I'll tour you around. We'll go to MET, and we'll go get pretzels and sit at central park, and I'll take you up the Empire State building after hours, it's not allowed but I do have my ways. The view up there is spectacular." Carmilla rambles eagerly, her hands flying around her. Laura has never seen her this happy and it makes her heart swell.

"Oh! I almost forgot, I also have a gift for you." Carmilla exclaims, her hands searching inside her jacket. She looks at Laura, her eyes glinting.

"Close your eyes cupcake."

Laura doesn't argue, she just closes her eyes. She feels Carmilla move closer to her, close enough to smell her, Laura inhales her scent without realizing it.

"Open your eyes."

Laura opens her eyes and sees Carmilla inches away from her, gazing at her with a nervous expression.

"Well?" Laura asks curiously, looking around them "Where is it?"

Carmilla grins and looks up, Laura follows her eyes and sees something on the ceiling. Something green and red and- oh, mistletoe.

Laura looks back at Carmilla and warm lips meet hers. Laura closes her eyes and wraps her arms around Carmilla's neck, deepening the kiss. Carmilla pulls away a few moments later and cups Laura's cheek. Laura just stares at her, memorizing every inch of her.

"C'mon cutie, we'll be late for our flight." Carmilla states, her excitement coming back.

"Carm, its 1am. Our flight isn't until 6am." Laura tries to say in her most serious voice.

Carmilla pouts, making Laura giggle. She never saw Carmilla pout. Laura lies back down and tugs Carmilla with her. She rests her head on Carmilla's chest and drapes an arm over her waist.

"We still have a few hours. Let me sleep for a while mhm?" Laura says with a yawn. Carmilla nods and wraps her arms around Laura's shoulders. The two were quiet for a while and Carmilla was starting to nod off when she hears Laura's voice.

"Honestly, you didn't even have to use a mistletoe to kiss me. You are such a sap."

Carmilla laughs, and Laura decides that Carmilla's laugh is the best present that she's ever received.


	2. Chapter 2

p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Flight AA343 to New York is currently delayed. Please stand by for updates."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Collective groans can be heard around them as the flight attendant broke the bad news. Carmilla huffs and nudges Laura who's sleeping on her shoulder./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Cutie," She croons, tucking Laura's stray hair behind her ear. "We kinda have a situation."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura groans and tightens her hold on Carmilla. "What?" She asks, keeping her eyes closed./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Our flight is delayed."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura sighs and opens her eyes. "For how long?"/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" "I have no idea." Carmilla steals a glance at the flight attendant who is standing by the boarding gate. She's surrounded by angry passengers who bombards her with questions. Carmilla listens and picks up the words congestion in air traffic and half an hour, sir you do not need to shout please calm down./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Half an hour."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Well that sucks." Laura stands up and stretches, she looks around and puts her hands on her hips. She's wearing an oversized gray sweater with Silas U printed in front, her blue jeans and black chucks. "Well come on." She says, holding out her hand to Carmilla./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla raises an eyebrow. "Where are we going?"/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Let's buy food, I'm hungry."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""We just bought breakfast 30 minutes ago." Carmilla says flatly as she tries to fight a smile./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura huffs and puts her hands back at her hips. "That was 30 minutes ago, I'm hungry again."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla is grinning now. They had a stack of pancakes, eggs, bacons and hashbowns and she's hungry again. Unbelievable. "You are not hungry, you're just bored."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""I'm not!"/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""You are currently pacing around me in circles sweetie, that's a sign of being bored."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura stops pacing and turns towards Carmilla. "That's cause we've been here for 2 hours already, I've got nothing to do." she whines, her shoulders slumping./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla reaches out and takes Laura's hand. "C'mere," She says softly, tugging Laura towards her, Laura falls softly into her lap and Carmilla automatically wraps her arm around her waist. She plants a small kiss on Laura's neck, making the younger girl shudder./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""I can think of something we can do to pass the time." She whispers in Laura's ear./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""What?" Laura asks, her breathing rapid and her heartbeat slightly faster than normal, making Carmilla smile slyly. 24 hours ago they wouldn't even touch each other, now Laura's at her lap and she's planting kisses at her neck. Funny how things work out, Carmilla muses. She puts her hand under Laura's chin and brings their lips together. Laura tastes like strawberries and cookies, sweet and addicting, and Carmilla couldn't get enough of it./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""This is the second time we've kissed." Laura says as she breaks the kiss, her eyebrows furrowing. Carmilla notices her distraught expression, she takes her hand and intertwines their fingers together. "Yes, and?"/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura looks down, her face blushing red. "Nothing, I-, nevermind."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Hey, what is it?" Carmilla asks, confusion lacing her voice and features./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""It's just that," Laura stammers, still looking down. She sighs deeply and looks at Carmilla. "I don't know how we lasted without doing that for the past months."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla feels that fluttering feeling in her stomach, she smiles and laughs softly. "Wow, I'm that good huh?"/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura punches her on the shoulder making her laugh harder. "Shut up." Laura mutters, folding her arms over her chest. Carmilla leans towards her and gives her a small peck on the lips. "Don't worry," She whispers, her lips still hovering over Laura's./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""We have all the time in the world to make up for it."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura's been staring at Carmilla for about five minutes now. She can't help it, there's just something about Carmilla's relaxed expression as she gazes out of the airplane window that makes Laura more smitten. Laura was originally assigned the window seat, but as they sat down she noticed Carmilla glancing at the window every now and then. And when Laura offered to switch places Carmilla gave her the biggest grin that she saw and the last piece of chocolate. /p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Are you sure you don't want this seat?" Carmilla asks for the tenth time, not taking her eyes off the window./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""No it's fine," Laura answers, not taking her eyes off Carmilla./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""My view here is fantastic." Carmilla says excitedly as she snaps a picture of the clouds on her phone./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura still doesn't take her eyes of Carmilla./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""So is mine."/p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla doesn't answer but Laura can see a smile forming on her lips./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla falls asleep 20 minutes later while holding her phone. Laura drapes a blanket over her and takes the absurdly expensive device from her hand. After a few minutes Laura starts fidgeting./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"She's bored again./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Laura thinks of waking Carmilla up, but vampires need their rest too. Her eyes drift over Carmilla's phone in her hand and Laura smiles slyly./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla wakes up and discovers 100 selfies of Laura in her phone. Laura gives her a sheepish smile and stands up to go to the bathroom. She opens one photo where Laura has her head tilted and she's sticking out her tongue./p  
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"Carmilla shakes her head and makes it her wallpaper./p 


End file.
